Marion f



(No Model.)

M. F. ELY, J. B. FUNK & P. H. ELY.

GAR COUPLING.

Patented Oct. 20

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARION F. ELY, JOHN B. FUNK, AND FREDERICK II. ELY, OE CLIFTON, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-FOURTH T-O \VILLIAM R. II. ELY, OE SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 461,703, dated October 20, 1891.

Application filed May 29, 1891. Serial No. 394,535. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MARION F. ELY, JOHN B. FUNK, and FREDERICK H. ELY, citizens of the United States, residing at Clifton, in the county of Mason and State of West Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of carcouplings in which the ordinary and wellknown link and pin are employed to connect the draw-bars of adjacent cars; and it is the object of our improvements to provide a simple, reliable, and convenient car-coupling attachment by whichthe operator, while standing at the side of the car, will be enabled to lift the link, guide it laterally in either direction, and hold it in the required position to properly enter the other draw-head or drawbar, thus avoiding any necessity of passing between the cars and the consequent risk of inury.

Our invention consists in a link lifting and guiding attachment for car-couplings, consisting of a link lifter orguide having a swiveled or pivotal connection with the under side of the draw-bar and adapted to be brought into operative engagement with the coupling-link at a pointin front of the draw-bar mouth and a separate orindependentpivotally-supported longitudinally-movable lever or cranked rod extended across the end of the car and having a bail portion, the sides of which engage and serve to move the link lifter or guide laterally, as will more fully hereinafter appear.

In the annexed drawings, illustrating the invention, Figure 1 is a perspective of a portion of one end of a railway-car with our invention attached. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the link lifter and guide.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a draw-bar.

2 is an ordinary coupling-link, and 8 the usual pin.

To the underside of the draw-bar is pivoted a plate ii: by means of a vertical pin 5, which allows said plate to have a laterally-swinging movement, and in the forward end of said plate t is pivotally supported a verticallyswinging link lifteror guide 6, which also has a laterally-swinging movement by reason of its connection with said laterally-swinging plate 4, which thus serves as a swivel-support for the combined link lifter and guide.

' As shown in Fig. 3, the linklifter and guide 6 consists ofla metal frame of such length that when raised into operative position it will extend forward beneath the link 2, and at its forward end it is inclined upward and rearward to form a stirrup '7, that is adapted to support the link and enable it to be guided to the right or left, as desired.

On the end of the car is pivotally supported a longitudinally-movable and verticallyswinging cranked rod or lever 8, the ends of which are extended to the opposite sides of the car and form handles 9 to enable said lever to be used for operating the linklifter or guide 6, so as to raise, support, and guide the link without requiring the attendant to pass between the cars. The cranked-rod or lever 8 is so shaped as to extend transversely below the link lifter and guide 6 in the form of a:

bail 10, the sides 12 of which engage the side bars of the link lifterand guide, and are thus adapted to swing it laterally to the right or left, according to the direction in which the longitudinallymovable crank rod or lever 8 may be moved. By turning either of the lev'er-handles 9 so as to rock the cranked rod 8 in an upward and forward direction, the link lifter and guide 6 will be caused to raise and support the link 2 on a level with the mouth of the opposite draw-head, and then, if necessary, the said rod or lever 8 can be pushed or pulled longitudinally to swing the link either to the right or left, and thus guide it into the draw-head of the opposite car, the pin of which has been previously raised and placed at such an angle as to hold it in the Lil hole of the upper part of the draw-head, as

brakemen are in the habit of doing, so that when the draw-heads come together the jar will cause the said pin to drop into engagement with the link.- As soon as the cars are thus coupled the link lifter or guide 6 and its actuating lever or rod 8 will drop downward and back out of the Way, and in order to prevent the cranked rod or lever 8 from swinging too far back a suitable stop or guard 11 may be supported in any suitable manner in rear of said lever.

The advantages of our improved caucoupling attachment in aifording a ready, simple, and convenient means for adjusting, guiding, and supporting the ordinary coupling-link without incurring danger of injury from going between the cars will be obvious, and it will be seen that the separate and independent link litter or guard and its actuatinglever can be readily constructed and applied to the ordinary style of oar-coupling with but little expense and without involving any change in the coupling devices.

hat we claim as our invention is The combination, with a draw-bar, of a plate pivoted to the under side of the draw-bar, a

MARION F. ELY. [n 3. JOHN B. FUNK. LL. s] FREDERICK H. ELY. L. s]

\Vitnesses:

AMELIA I'IUTCHINSON, ELLA HUToHINsoN. 

